Good people go to heaven , bad people go to hell. This is the usual attitude.But how does one define good ? Is there anybody who does not sin ? How do we classify sin ? Is there any good or bad sin ? If one live to be seventy years old, let us say a person sins once a day since seven years old. Let say 70-7=63. 63x 365 days a year=22,995 sins in his or her lifetime.
Maybe the ones with the least sins will go to heaven. But is'nt it, no sin will enter heaven. So since all of us sins we all fall short, none of us will make it to heaven. So heaven can not be a reward.
So, is heaven a gift ? but what about our sins? somebody will have to pay for them. Yes , somebody paid for our sins. Jesus Christ paid for our sins. He said in the cross, "Tetelestai" meaning "It is finished" , Paid in full.
So if heaven is a gift, we can all sin all we want to, right ? wrong. If someone give you something, do we throw it away ? we will keep it if we like it, right? right.
Ephesians 2:8,9 says "for by grace , you have been saved through faith (in Jesus Christ), it is a gift of God not of works lest any man should boast.
What are good works then, simply they are fruits or evidence of your/our salvation.